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“Well, you’re a guy. Your feedback will be invaluable. Plus, it’s not only about putting effort into my appearance. There are intangibles. Like charm. Flirting.”
“Wait, you think I’m charming?” His lip twitches, and it’s ridiculous that he doesn’t know what he has. His personality comes so naturally. It makes me think of the night I first met him.
Even from two floors up and standing on a table staring down at the figure below asking to come up, I knew he was gorgeous. He was swathed in shadows, but you could tell by the cut of his clothes and his angular jawline that he was built. I started freaking out, asking Trish what I should do. She had only let me borrow the dress I was wearing. The low-cut, clingy material wasn’t something I would be caught dead in, especially not in public, too afraid my private bits would show, so I wanted to change. I ran into the room to put something more comfortable on, telling her to get the door when he knocked, and by the time I came out, I didn’t have a chance in hell.
He looked right through me, and all he saw was her.
The initial rejection only worsened the more we got to know him. Watching those two fall for one another was like a kick tothe gut—a double kick when I factored in the shame for crushing on my best friend’s guy. It didn’t matter that I saw him first. Or that he initially saw me.
I peer at Zaiah, trying not to think about what could have been, and instead, stick out my hand. “Do we have a deal?”
He sighs, staring into my eyes for the longest moment before he says, “Deal.”
He gives my hand a hearty shake, and I grin at him. “First, we wallow in ice cream. Then, you can tell me what I need to do to grab Clark’s attention.”
“Ice cream it is,” he says, lying back into my pillows and getting comfortable. “Then we make you a bird.”
I smirk at his attempt, but he still doesn’t quite understand the concept.
CHAPTER SIX
Zaiah
Len studiesme over a cup of coffee when I walk into the suite, hockey gear in tow. “How was practice?”
“Fine,” I grumble as I head to my room. Truthfully, it wasn’t my best. Dropped passes, terrible skating. My neck aches from falling asleep on Len’s bed whileThe Notebookplayed. Plus, I missed a class to help her, and I had to ask a teammate for notes and got relentless shit for it all practice.
I peel off my clothes and step into the shower, staying under the hot spray for a while to relax my sore muscles. If this doesn’t go away, I’ll have to ask a trainer to take a look at it, which means it will get back to Coach.
I finish up, throw on some joggers and a Warner hockey tee, and walk back out into the kitchen to find Len still sitting there, nursing her cup. I’ve never seen her linger this long somewhere, but she has a few pages of printed material in front of her, and I catch the words clock tower. “Any luck on the article?”
“Getting there,” she answers. “I have the librarian’s help now, so it shouldn’t be long. I swear, librarians could save the world.”
I’m reaching into the cabinets, but at her words, I peer over my shoulder at her. “I’m sorry, what?”
She nods eagerly. “Solve life’s mysteries and problems with research.” She waves her hands dismissively. “Everything we’re going through now has happened in history. Maybe not the exact same thing, but the root problem. I’m telling you… Save. The. World.”
I grab two packets of oatmeal and turn, catching her as she props her glasses up her nose with one finger to the bridge.Well, that’s adorable.A claw thing pins her blonde hair back, framing a makeupless, fresh face that showcases her clear complexion. However, from the neck down, she’s swimming in clothes. Baggy Warner joggers hide everything along with her long-sleeved Warner Gazette shirt that’s two sizes too big.
“So.” She draws out theoand rearranges the papers in front of her, setting them aside. My stomach immediately clenches because I already know what this is about. She went through two pints of ice cream yesterday. I recognize that’s a pretty bad problem. Sometimes, half a pint will do. If she chipped a nail, maybe a few bites, but twopints? I’m not sure my sister has ever needed two.
Len clears her throat. “Thank you for helping me yesterday. I’m sure I blabbered on and on, and the whole thing was embarrassing.”
I shrug her off and pour the oatmeal into a clean bowl, scooping some protein powder into it as well. “What are roommates for?”
“I’ve had a chance to think about it, and—”
I turn, relief sluicing off me.Oh, thank God she’s come to her senses.All that talk yesterday about changing her was just two-pint worthy feelings. She—
“I want to start right away.”
Mother…pucker. Shit.
“Len…” My mouth works but no words come out. She looks at me expectantly, so I drop what I’m doing. “I feel like I need to say this, so hear me out. I have a sister, and I wouldn’t want her to do any of this. I had a chance to think on it, too, and this dude isn’t good enough for you. Puck what he thinks. It’s okay that you’re focusing on being a reporter right now.”
Her brows shoot up. “Puck?”
I find a coffee mug, fill it with water, and heat it up in the microwave. “Something my mom let me say when I was younger instead of fuck, and it stuck. Listen, you don’t want that guy, anyway. Trust me. He’s not worth the trouble.”